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The 2011 Nebula awards were presented on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at the Nebula Awards Weekend in Arlington, Virginia. By now, you’ve probably read a list of the winners, but I’ll do a quick recap at the bottom of this post, in case you haven’t.

The convention ran from Thursday until Sunday, but because of other commitments, I was unable to attend the entire convention. This was only my second writers’ convention. I attended my first (World Horror in Salt Lake City, Utah) earlier this year.

I was very nervous about attending WHC, but surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous this weekend. I suspect it’s because I was too excited to finally meet in person several people I’ve known for a while online, namely Jaym Gates, Jake Kerr, and Jamie Todd Rubin. It’s funny. When you talk to people frequently (even if those conversations happen via Twitter, email, or what have you), critique each other’s work and such, you feel like friends already. Meeting in person is simply a formality.

When you’re relatively new to the business, meeting people who are already firmly established is daunting. And more than a bit frightening, to be honest. I did my best to keep my fear firmly tucked inside, but I felt tongue-tied more than once.

At the banquet, I sat next to Jack McDevitt. I may have consumed a glass of wine very rapidly to keep from running away shouting, “I am not worthy to sit at the same table with you, let alone next to you.” And if that wasn’t intimidating enough, I was also seated with Joe and Gay Haldeman, Myke Cole, and editor extraordinaire, Ginjer Buchanan. I may have regaled them with a clever tale regarding my first name, or I may have simply mumbled incoherently. If it was the latter, I hope they will forgive me.

The acceptance speeches of Neil Gaiman and Connie Willis were amazing, as was Astronaut Michael Fincke’s keynote speech. Talk about feeling small and insignificant.

Fear and rambling aside, I had a wonderful time and regret not being able to attend the entire convention, but there’s always next year.